Volume Four

THE NIGHT VOLUME

The alluring worlds of the
Night were the subject of our fascination for Volume Four. Our initial thinking behind this choice of theme was rather simple: we wanted an abstract starting point that would allow us to pull at interesting threads, and create an original selection of stories. The Night proved to be an exciting concept that held so much potential for unusual interpretation, especially within our editorial style.

Many of us may choose to burn the midnight oil and we discuss how these
Sleepless Nights may be used as a time for creative endeavours and pursuits of the mind. We reflect on what the humble light bulb has afforded us, as we are now no longer bound by the parameters of daylight hours. We visit New York, Berlin and London, to discover thriving night cultures that are deep-rooted within the cities' histories and personalities.

With an interest in the natural world we couldn't resist delving into the nocturnal realm of
The Night Garden, a place where flowers bloom in the darkness, heady scents hang in the air, and the nocturnal pollinators come out to play. We dive into the deep reaches of our oceans and explore tropical coral reefs with marine biologist, David Gruber, and gain a better understanding of the Luminous Worlds that exist beneath the water's surface. We travel to the most southern regions of our planet and step out onto the icy plains of the East Antarctic Icesheet on a Meteorite Hunt with Ralph P. Harvey and Katie Joy, to try to unlock the secrets of the universe from within these nuggets of space rock.

Lastly, we gain an insight into the form and function of the
Haunting Soundworlds created for the crime-thriller genre. We examine how sound may be used to manipulate, influence and guide our emotional and intrinsic reactions, and how sound designers are able to interweave deep narratives into a soundtrack.

We hope that you enjoy reading this volume where you'll find the
Night theme meanders through the pages in unusual ways, unfolding a closely curated yet disparate selection of stories.

This volume includes

• We explore how creativity may peak after nightfall, feeding our artistic spirits and our imaginations
• We travel to Berlin, New York and London to see how three individuals' practices are interwoven into their cities' unique nighttime cultures
• We look at how the invention of the electric light has shaped culture and allowed us the freedom to lead lives outside of daylight hours
• We visit Penny Harms, a passionate individual who has dedicated her life to nurturing exotic flora
• We look at nocturnal organisms that have evolved to co-exist – pollinators and flora that rely on each other to survive
• Delving into the nocturnal worlds of biological illumination – bioluminescence and biofluorescence.
• We investigate the luminous fauna that light up our oceans and their little understood language of light
• Expert David Gruber explains the importance of documenting these luminous fauna to encourage conservation efforts
• We discuss how bioluminescence is being used in the lab and the possible ethical questions needing to be asked
• We question and explore why meteorites fascinate mankind
• We step out onto the East Antarctic Icesheet to scour for meteorites, so we may learn the secrets of the universe
• Sound design can manipulate and influence our intrinsic reactions and we learn how sound designers interweave narratives into soundtracks

It takes certain individuals with knowledge, passion and a touch of creativity to ensure that the garden's night blooming, night fragrant and night active plant life remains healthy and well maintained – a job that must be done by day.

Believed to be totally untouched – and even undiscovered – by humans until the nineteenth century, the icy deserts of the antarctic hold some of the most spectacular and magnificent landscapes on earth.

This feature delves into the nocturnal worlds of biological illumination: bioluminescence and biofluorescence. Here we investigate the luminous fauna that lights up our oceans and their little understood language of light, and the need to conserve their habitats.

New York city gave the world 'swing' in the 1920s and along with it Lindy Hop. New York became instrumental in its revival in the 1980s and today venues all over the city are hosting swing nights with a new generation of Lindy Hoppers swinging the night away.